SEPTEMBER REVIEW
The team have remained in fine form in September, our tally of 27 victories making this the winning-most month of the campaign, and keeping things interesting at the top of the Trainers’ Championship!
For the third month in succession, the brilliant Blue Bolt added a Group 1 success to her burgeoning CV. The daughter of Blue Point has made remarkable progress this year, this latest win in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown under Colin Keane coming in comfortable fashion and in front of another very strong field. The Sun Chariot is next, where she will bid for an incredible fourth Group 1 win in succession.
Plage De Havre’s Listed Stand Cup victory under Callum Hutchinson at Chester formed part of a treble for the yard on the Roodee, and was another fine win on the back of a Heritage Handicap success at the Ebor meeting, both wins coinciding with some give in the ground. He is a very smart middle-distance performer and hopefully a bold bid for the hat-trick awaits.
Respond brought his form to a new level with an impressive win in the Listed Foundation Stakes at Goodwood, making the running under Oisin Murphy and drawing clear for a facile success. He relaxed well with the hood off and is a very talented individual on his day, so we are hopeful he can make his mark in Group company.
Moonrise supplemented her win in the Princess Margaret at Ascot in July with a taking success in the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park, with Oisin Murphy on board and making all for an impressive victory. She acquitted herself brilliantly when a close-up fourth in the Cheveley Park three weeks later and is one to really look forward to next year.
Forbidden Fire was another two-year-old to gain black-type honours, maintaining her unbeaten record with success in the Listed Flying Scotsman at Doncaster, with Oisin Murphy doing the steering. That form has already been boosted by the success of the third in the Mill Reef next time, and hopefully Forbidden Fire can run a big race in the Fillies’ Mile next time. The half-sister to See The Fire and Venetian Prince could be a Guineas filly in 2027.
Turty Tree had shown useful form all season, but he recorded a career-best when landing a valuable Heritage Handicap at Ascot under David Probert. A 3lbs rise looks workable and a tilt at the Old Rowley Cup is his next objective.
Old Is Gold is a sprinter on the up, the son of Mehmas leaving an unlucky fifth in a valuable sprint at York in August with front-running wins at Goodwood and Newmarket under Oisin Murphy and Billy Loughnane respectively, the latter in impressive fashion. He is thriving at present and is capable of landing a big handicap in the near future.
Crazee Icon won in fine style at Chester under Callum Hutchinson, her third success at the course from as many attempts this summer. She is clearly very progressive and hopefully she can challenge for some black type in due course, which I hope will also be the case with Zgharta, who scored in good fashion at Salisbury under Oisin Murphy, seemingly appreciating the softening conditions.
Level Look won a pair of handicaps by an aggregate of 14.5 lengths at Wolverhampton and Southwell, with Callum Hutchinson on board on both occasions, and the son of Passing Glance really looks to be getting the hang of things over staying trips. He is likely to step up in grade now.
King Of Berkshire was another to double up this month, a wide-margin win at Windsor with Callum Hutchinson on board swiftly followed by a comfortable front-running success at Newmarket in the hands of Oisin Murphy. He has risen 23lbs in the handicap this season and there is no sign of his improvement coming to an end.
Reformation had won a match race at Salisbury in August on his debut, and duly followed up under a penalty three weeks later at Newcastle, with Ali Rawlinson doing the steering. An opening mark of 85 looks fair and he is an interesting prospect going forward. That is also the case with Classical Allusion, who appreciated the switch to front-running tactics under Callum Hutchinson at Kempton Park, running out a ready winner back on the All-Weather.
Hebridean Nomad gained his second win of the year on just his third career start on turf, Charlie Tucker bringing him home in front at Bath. He is a very consistent performer and can go in again this year, as can Allegrino, who is enjoying a fine campaign and added a fourth success of the season when winning at Sandown Park under Callum Hutchinson. She has really progressed this summer and there looks to be more to come.
Remi Mae is a well-bred daughter of Invincible Spirit, so we were very pleased to see her get the better of a close finish at Kempton Park, with Oisin Murphy on board. She may have found the ground against her back on turf next time and can continue to be competitive when conditions are in her favour. That’s also the case for Thunder Goddess, who took a good step forward to win by a wide margin at Pontefract and probably found the race coming too soon on her next outing.
Our two-year-olds were responsible for ten of our winners in September, with some very exciting prospects amongst them, including the aforementioned Moonrise and Forbidden Fire.
Quicken Away had just been denied on debut at Newbury and showed the benefit of that experience to score from the front at Goodwood, with Oisin Murphy on board. He has since run a fine race in defeat when third in the Group 2 Royal Lodge and the son of Frankel and French 1000 Guineas winner Precieuse looks a very high-class prospect for next year.
Sweltering took a good step forward on her Kempton Park debut with a wide-margin win at Leicester under Jason Watson, coming home with plenty to spare. The half-sister to black-type winners Holloway Boy and Humidity merits a step up in grade on the back of that useful effort and looks a bright prospect.
Regency Royal had shown plenty of promise on his Chester debut in July and quickly left behind a subsequent disappointment at Goodwood with a ready win back on the Roodee under Callum Hutchinson. A scopey individual, he can continue to progress, as can Clarity, who got off the mark at the fourth time of asking in a class 2 maiden at Ascot under James Doyle.
Donegan made a winning debut at Kempton Park in the hands of Callum Hutchinson, making most of the running for a comfortable success that bodes well for the future. He can make up into a useful middle-distance performer next term, which also applies to Wykehurst Park, who made it second time lucky with success in a 1m1f contest at Yarmouth under Oisin Murphy, becoming the two-year-old winner for freshman sire Stradivarius.
Beresford Gap built on the promise he had shown in novice company to make a winning nursery debut at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting, with Oisin Murphy on board. He has since been gelded and there should be plenty more to come next year. Primal is another to have been gelded since shedding his maiden tag in a nursery at Doncaster. Marco Ghiani was on board for the son of Starspangledbanner’s first win and he’ll return on a workable mark.